Being a marketer during the new normal is not an easy feat. The once laid-out plans were now shelved and marketers found themselves asking: is it an appropriate time to launch a new product? What tone should I use to speak to my audience? How do brands use social media after the pandemic?
It’s important for brands to take action, use their influence to help, and be proper in their approach. To get ahead of competitors, companies have started improving their branding and social media marketing strategy through the following best practices:
Lead by listening
Even during the pandemic, only 8% of Twitter users think that brands should stop advertising. This is because people would like to know their options as they shop and stock up on basic necessities. Moreover, 93% of Filipinos on Twitter echoed that brands should be providing practical information while 88% wanted brands to pledge aid, and 91% called for brands to give flexible payment terms on bills.
Nowadays, as more social media platforms become more popular than Twitter, businesses have more ways to find their voice back and listen to their audience. Using Facebook for business allows marketers to directly engage with their customers and provide them with support efficiently. This brand marketing technique on social media is especially effective, considering that there are more than 90 million Facebook users in the Philippines.
Lead by purpose
Contrary to some of the most common misconceptions about branding, your business doesn’t solely exist for the purpose of serving the people with your product or service. Your brand is an identity in which people hope to see a positive example, especially in the new normal.
To lead with purpose, your social media brand strategy should incorporate 3Ps:
- Purpose – Identify what role you play in consumers’ lives.
- People – Discover how you can support your communities.
- Pledge – Give back and align it to your products and services.
You should consider these values when promoting your brand on social media, regardless of the platform you’re using. Whether you’re creating a video for TikTok, YouTube Shorts, or Instagram Reels or writing content for the newly launched Threads, you need to remember the deeper purpose of your brand.
Lead by example
One of the best ways to do branding in social media is to be transparent to your target audience. Let them know about your initiatives and what you’re doing to help protect the environment and address different societal issues. According to a recent Pulse Asia survey, eight out of 10 Filipinos are more likely to support companies with environment-friendly products and operations.
A leader is a figure that people look up to, so here are some do’s and don’ts on how to set the right example for others:
Do’s
- Provide useful information to help people navigate uncertainty and remain calm.
- Broadcast any initiatives you’ve launched that address issues customers have raised.
Don’ts
- Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
- Don’t hide your attempts to generate profits from the situation.
- Don’t shun interactions with frustrated customers.
Aside from posting about your initiatives on Facebook and Twitter, you can make your updates more engaging to your audience through videos. The continuous increase in TikTok advertising revenue establishes it as a promising platform for engaging with your target audience. Depending on the number of your followers, you can expect an engagement rate of 4.5% to 18% on TikTok.
Lead with something new
With news about the pandemic and its effect on the economy, brands are also becoming aware and careful about addressing such issues and sensitivities. You can respond to the call by offering a new product or service that can help people, but its launch and execution are the crucial parts that must be appropriate and mindful. Here are five keys to consider before launching something new:
- Listen before you launch.
- Own your voice and find the right tone.
- Influence > reach. Look for quality, not quantity.
- Go big on the reveal.
- Prepare to pivot.
Lead by connecting
Listening is essential but connecting with your audience is another proactive way to extend your brand and relevance. Stay in the loop by knowing the trends among your audience and connecting with them through these topics.
The new normal is leading people to explore new areas of interest. Nowadays, users prefer short-form, entertaining videos because of their increasingly shortened attention spans. So, if you want to establish a connection with your target audience, you need to invest in shorter and catchier videos that satisfy their need for quick entertainment.
Fortunately, short-form videos will also be better for your brand cost-wise. Unlike longer forms of content that require expensive production and rigorous editing, short-form videos take less effort to create. Entertaining videos can also help you reach your target audience much more easily and get ahead of your competition.
Lead with agility
From “business unusual,” brands must forge ahead to adapt and thrive in the new normal. As routines and lifestyles around us evolve, so does your brand’s content strategy. Starting from a clean slate can be challenging, so here are 3 ways to beef up your digital marketing plan:
- Be resourceful and repurpose old assets into new ones.
- Tap creators and influencers to produce fresh content.
- Rethink live events. Go virtual.
Lead with positivity
There are many ways brands use social media to promote their products and services. But in a time when news can be disheartening, it’s a helpful lift that brands are staying optimistic to share the message of hope and positivity among Filipinos. A simple act of gesture, such as an inspiring post or entertaining video, can brighten someone’s day. Share positive content, create new and unique experiences, and tap on what makes your target audience happy such as their hobbies, interests, or leisure activities.
You can also use art for branding to help spread positivity online. Engaging artworks can help your target audience stay connected with your brand and other customers, a much-needed breath of fresh air from the isolation and distancing brought about by the pandemic. Posting positive messages and content can also help users take a break from all the information available online, allowing them to escape from “doom-scrolling.”
By being the bearer of positive news, you can also position your brand as a company people can look forward to seeing on their feeds. Tying your brand up with positive feelings can help increase your engagement and revenue.
With these noteworthy practices, we hope that more brands will be inspired with fresh ideas on how to carry on and help the Filipino people in these challenging times. A conversation can spark a difference, so follow these tips and lead the way.
